Cruciform checkerboard



Oct. 21, 1952 J. H, 2,614,842

CRUCIF'ORM CHECKERBOARD Filed Jan. 17, 1946 ATYOZNZY Patented Oct. 21,1952

UNITED (STATES PATENT OFFICE Q cRuoIFonM CHECKERBOARD J ohn H. Rice, Minneapolis, Minn. Application J anuary 1'7, 1946, Serial No: 641,719 2Claims. (01.273-131) This invention relates to a game apparatus comprising a game board and a plurality of sets It is an object of this game to provide a game apparatus having a board having a portion formed as a checker-board with additional portions for facilitating the playing of different kindsof games thereon.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a game apparatus comprising a board having a central portion formed as a checker-board, rectangular portions extending from each side thereof,all or" saidportion's being'divided into similar squares, the squares having adjacent sides being diilerently designated or colored, and a plurality of additional squares in the corners between the ends of said rectangular portions, theones of said latter squares having adjacent sides being differently designated or colored, together with a plurality of sets of pieces disposable on alternate squares of said rectangular portions and movable onto said last mentioned squares.

It is also an object of the invention toprovide a game apparatus comprising a board having a central portion forming an ordinary checkerboard, rectangular portions projecting from each sidethereof and divided into squares similarly to said central portion, and a rectangular zone extending along the outer side of each of said a rectangular portions having a uniform designation or color, together with aplurality of sets of differently designated pieces disposable on alternate squares of said rectangular portions and being movable throughout said zones.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a game apparatus comprising a game board having a square central portion divided by lines intersecting at right angles and parallel to the sides thereof into 64 equal squares, a rectangular portion projecting from each side of said central portion and similarly divided into 24 equal squares, and three similar squares disposed in the corners between the ends of said rectangular portions, the squares having adjacent sides being differently designated or colored, and a plurality of sets of pieces of different shape or designation disposable on alternate squares in said rectangular portions and movable onto said central portion and into the squares at the ends of said rectangular portions.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a game apparatus as set forth in the preceding paragraph, said board having also a zone at the outer side of each of said rectangular portions having a width equal to the width of'one of said squares and being of uniform designation orcolor. i

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference i of different shapes.

Referring to saidviews, a game apparatus is shown comprising a game board Ill. Board 10 may be made of wood, cardboard, paper, plastic or othersuitable material. Board Ill has formed on its top surface a figure coniprisingfa central portion l 1 square inform and enclosed in the lines l2. Said central portion is dividedbyspaced lines l3 intersecting at right angles into a multiplicity of equal squares M. Saidcentral portion H therefore is similar to and constitutes the ordinary and well known checker-board, the

squares therein having adjacent sides being'difl ferently designated or colored.

Projecting from each side of the central portion ll is a rectangular portion [5 havingone long side coincident with the side of portion H and similarly divided into squares P3 equalin size to squares i4 and arranged in alinement therewith. The squares It having adjacent sides are 7 also differently designated or colored. While the width of the rectangular portions l5 might be varied, in the embodiment of the invention illustwo at the outer sides thereof and havingsidesengagingrespectively the ends .of adjacentportions l5; Squares H are designated or colored similarly to squares l4 and It. At the outer side of each of the rectangular portions I5 is a rectangular portion or zone It. While the length of this zone could be varied, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as having the same length as the portions 15 and ithas a width of one of the squares M, It or II. The portion or zone I3 will have a uniform designation or color which preferably will correspond to the color or designation used on the squares I4, I6 and I1.

Certain objects or pieces 20 are used with the game and there are four sets of these pieces, each set comprising twelve pieces. The pieces of each set are preferably of diiferent designation, shape or color. In Fig. 2 the pieces of the respective sets are shown as circular, square or rectangular in shape, as well as diamond-shaped. The pieces of each set may also be differently designated in any suitable manner as by being numbered from 1 to 12, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 3, the sets of pieces ZI are shown as having the shape of the well known figures on playing cards, namely, the shape of clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds.

Various games may be played upon the board. The well known game of checkers or straight checkers can be played by using the central portion I I and two sets of the figures 20 or 2 I. This game is so well known that further description thereof is unnecessary. The apparatus can also be used to play checkers where there are three or four players. With three or four players the sets of pieces are preferably placed on alternate squares in the rectangular portions I5, as indicated in Fig. 1, and they are then moved one square at a time diagonally and forwardly. If an opponents piece stands in the way the player can jump over the same if the space beyond in a diagonal direction is open and the piece so jumped can then be taken or removed from the board. Other than having the pieces start in the rectangular portions, the three or four handed game of checkers is played the same as ordinary checkers and a king row can be established in the row of squares either at one side of central portion I I or in the outermost row of the portions I5.

The preferred game for which the board can be used has been termed Yankee checkers which is playable by two, three or four players. In the latter game the pieces are placed on the rectangular portions, as indicated in Fig. 1. In this game the pieces can be moved diagonally as in ordinary checkers, but may be moved forwardly or rearwardly. A player can also jump over his own pieces either forwardly or rearwardly to get into better position either for a move or for a jump over an opponents piece. When a player jumps over his own pieces, they are not removed from the board, but when he jumps an adversarys pieces they are removed from the board. If a player has an opportunity to jump a piece and does not do it, his opponent may call aloud checker and remove the piece which could have been jumped as a penalty. The move which said adversary mad-e instead of jumping must then be'retracted. The zones I8 add greatly to the facility and flexibility of the game. A player can move into the zone I8 from any one of the playing squares contacting said zone and he can move any distance in said zone which is desirable. Sometimes he may move just to the next playing square and at other times he can move to the 4 with the pieces arranged, as shown in Fig. 1, the zones I8 could be used as king rows and the kings could move throughout the zone or any portion thereof. This would add greatly to the ordinary game of checkers. It will also be seen that in playing Yankee checkers the squares I! are important. A player could jump his own piece; as for instance, the square piece I2 shown at the right of the board in Fig. 1 could be jumped by the piece I I and the piece I I couldthen be in one of the squares I1 and might be able to jump the adjacent rectangular piece in the upper zone I5. Where there are two playing squares I1, as at the upper left-hand and lower right-hand corner of the board, a player could jump a piece in theend corner of either adjacent rectangular portion I5. A player can always move his pieces onto one'of the squares I? if the latter is unoccupied. These squares I1 therefore in the corners add a great deal to the game of Yankee checkers. They can also be used in playing three or four-handed checkers either with or without the zones I8.

One advantage of having pieces of different shapes as illustrated, is that it makes possible the playing of the game in poor light when colors might not be readily distinguished and further it makes possible games in which players are blindfolded as is often done in match games. By numbering the pieces of each set from 1 to 12 an object of the game could be to take off the adversarys pieces and the player who has pieces left on the board could add the numbers of those pieces to the numbers of the pieces which he has taken off and the total would be his score. A numerical score could thus be kept. Another feature can be added in which the game would be played with the numerals on the pieces turned downward so that no player could tell exactly what his score would be until at the end of the game when the numerals would be disclosed and totalled as above described.

The further use of the game apparatus would be in the playing of the now well known game of Chinese checkers. Millions of these latter games have been sold during the last few years and it is not considered necessary to further explain this game or the method of playing it.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a novel game apparatus and one which presents greatly increased possibilities in the matter of amusement and recreation and one which adds greatly to the playing features and skill of the game. The apparatus is simple and can be made at littleif any additional expense over an ordinary checker board. The pieces 2% and 2i can be made of any convenient or suitable material. The designations thereon may be greatly varied. When the designations are as shown in Fig. 3, some of the features of card games could be introduced, such as having values on the different suits. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful, efhcient and entertaining.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A game board comprising a surface marked to provide a square center area, a rectangular wing area extending from each side of said center area with one side coincident with a side of the center area, said center and wing areas being divided by intersecting lines to provide rows of checkered squares of substantially equal size, each corner at the juncture of adjacent wing areas having three squares marked therein to provide paths of movement between two rows of said wing areas for a game wherein playing pieces are to be moved along paths diagonal to the squares of said areas, alternate squares of the respective rows being of different color, and an undivided zone at the outer margin of each wing area extending the full length of said area and having a width corresponding to one side of said squares for a game wherein a playing piece is to be moved throughout the length of said outer zone into registration with any of the rows perpendicular to said elongated zone, said squares and zones constituting coplanar playing surfaces.

2. A game board comprising a surface marked to provide a square center area, a rectangular wing area extending from each side of saidcenter area with one side coincident with a side of the center area, said center and wing areas being divided by intersecting lines to provide rows of checkered squares of substantially equal size, alternate squares of the respective rows being of different color, an undivided zone at the outer margin of each wing area extending the full length of said area and having a Width corresponding to one side of said squares for a game wherein a playing piece is to be moved throughout the length of said outer zone into registration with any of the rows perpendicular to said elongated zone, said squares and zones constituting coplanar playing surfaces.

JOHN H. RICE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 124,373 Simpkins Dec. 31, 1940 621,799 Degges Mar.. 28, 1899 695,431 Atwood Mar. 18, 1902 701,414 Standidge June 3, 1902 1,194,213 1 Morgan Aug. 8, 1916 1,555,937 Billman Oct. 6, 1925 1,628,412 Lesavoy' May 10, 1927 

